Coaxial switch



Jan. 31, 1956 G. E. JACQUES ET AL COAXIAL SWITCH Filed June 21, 1952 YETIZUTE Q Q1 GeorgeE c/Zzaqzzes United States Patent COAXIAL SWITCH George E. Jacques, Cleveland, and Richard L. Gates, Eastlake, Ohio, assignors to Thompson Products, Inc,

This invention relates to a coaxial switch and more particularly to a switch of the type having a rotor which is mounted for arcuate movement in a housing to selectively register with one or more of a plurality of stations carried by the housing.

In the past, it has been conventional to insulate the inactive stations of the housing from the rotor by means of solid dielectric plugs mounted in the rotor, such plugs having the purpose in a coaxial switch, of insulating the inner conductor of the inactive stations from the conducting material of the rotor.

It is an important object of the present invention to provide a coaxial switch in which inactive stations of the switch housing are insulated from the rotor without the use of the customary solid dielectric plugs, which will not short circuit the inactive switch stations and which will retain the ruggedness and centering advantages of a solid rotor type switch.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel rotor construction for a coaxial switch.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a novel rotor construction of lighter weight and simpler manufacture than previously known.

According to the general features and objects of the present invention, there is provided a rotor plug of conducting material for defining an outer conductor connection with a selected station of said housing while being so formed as to extend in spaced insulated relation to other I unselected stations of the housing.

Other and further important objects and features of this invention will be apparent from the disclosures in the specification and the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a partial longitudinal sectional view of a coaxial switch constructed in accordance with the principles and teachings of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of a coaxial switch rotor according to the present invention;

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along the line III-III of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along the line IVIV of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is an end elevational view of the coaxial switch rotor of Figure 2; v

Figure 6 is a side elevational view similar to Figure 2, but showing a modified form of switch rotor according to the present invention; and

Figure 7 is an end elevational view of the coaxial switch rotor of Figure 6.

In Figure 1 is illustrated a coaxial switch 10. The switch, for purposes of illustration only, is of the singlepole type. However, it will be understood that the novel principles and teachings of the present invention may also be applied, for example, to a double-pole type switch. In the particular switch shown, an axial terminal 11 is to be selectively connected to one of a plurality of radial terminals such as at 12 by means of a switch rotor 14 which is mounted for rotation about van axis contiguous with the axis of terminal 11.

interior wall 35 of the housing only at a For purposes of attachment of coaxial cables to the terminals of the switch head, the terminals may be externally threaded as indicated at 15. Electrical continuity with a coaxial cable connected to terminal 12 is provided by internal wall 17 which acts as the outer conductor, and inner conductors 18 and 19 which are mounted concentrically to wall 17 by means of insulation sleeves 20 and 21. The inner conductor 19 extends inwardly toward the rotor chamber 24 in spaced relation to the adjacent wall portion 25 of the housing. In the switch illustrated, the inner conductor 19 and outer conductor 25 would constitute one of three stations equally spaced about the periphery of the rotor chamber 24 with Which the rotor is to selectively make electrical contact. A second station is provided by the radial terminal 26 seen in Figure 1.

Similarly, the central terminal 11 has an internal wall 27 and inner conductors 29 and 30 mounted by insulation members 32 and 33 for providing electrical continuity with a coaxial cable connected thereto.

The rotor 14 has an elbow passage defined by an interior wall 34 which extends from the end of the rotor adjacent terminal 11 to the periphery of the rotor abutting the housing interior wall 35. The rotor interior wall 34 provides an outer conductor for selectively connecting outer conductor 27 of main terminal 11 with the outer conductors, such as 27-17 of radial terminal 12.

For selectively connecting the inner conductor 30 of main terminal 11 with the inner conductors of the radial terminals, an inner conductor 37 is mounted concentrically within the outer conductor 34 by means of insulating sleeve 40. To permit rotation between inner conductors 37 and 30, the inner conductor 37 has a cylindrical pin 33 engaging the inner conductor 30, as indicated in Figure l. The rotor inner conductor 37 terminates at the periphery of the rotor for connection with the inner conductors of the radial terminals, such as inner conductor 19 of terminal 12, as the rotor is rotated within the housing. The elbow passage in the rotor terminate in a peripheral opening indicated at 41 in Figure 2, and an axial opening 42 seen in Figure 5.

As seen in Figures 2 and 3, the rotor comprises a rotor plug fitting securely in the rotor chamber 24 of the housing and a rotor shaft 43 extending axially therefrom. The plug has a pair of spaced flanges or shoulders 45 and 46 fitting snugly into corresponding portions of the rotor chamber 24 to maintain the rotor in axial alignment in the chamber. As seen in Figure 4, the upper shoulder 45 has a pair of pins 47 and 48 extending therethrough and into the insulating sleeve 40 to retain the sleeve in position with the rotor.

As seen in Figures 1 and 3, the body portion 50 of the rotor is of a generally segmental shape and abuts the segmental portion of the periphery of the wall. The peripheral extent of the rotor body, indicated at 51 in Figure 3, is such that when the rotor is registered with one or more selected stations'of the housing, the body will not contact other inactive stations to short the inner conductors thereof. In the present embodiment, since the rotor connects with only one station at a time, the peripheral extent 51 of the rotor body is less than the peripheral spacing between the inner conductors on either side of a selected station. For six radial terminals, the peripheral extent 51 would necessarily be less than In Figure l, the inner conductor 19 is insulated from the rotor body 59 in the same manner as it would be insulated if the rotor were registered with radial terminal 26.

Thus, the rotor of the present invention provides an air space such as indicated at 52 in Figure 1 between the inner conductors of the various stations of the housing which are inactive and the rotor body portion 50. By virtue of this construction, no solid dielectric insulation is necessary in the rotor body to prevent short-circuiting of the inactive inner conductors.

in Figures 5 and 6 is shown a rotor 60 having a body portion 55) and top flange of configuration corresponding to the body portion and flange 45 in Figure 2. However, the lower flange is omitted. Other parts of the rotor 6t) correspond to similar parts of the rotor 14 of Figure 2 and have been given corresponding primed reference numerals, except that three retaining pins, such as 61, have been indicated for retaining the rotor insulating sleeve 40 in the rotor elbow passage. These pins may be of the same material as the insulating sleeve 40 if desired.

It will, of course, be understood that the details of construction may be varied through a wide range, depending upon the conditions, without departing from the principles of this invention, and for example, the segmental rotor body portion may be shaped to include a bridging conductor for interconnecting selectively pairs of the radial terminals of the housing, as in a doublepole type switch, and it is, therefore, not the purpose to limit the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the scope of the appended claims.

We claim as our invention:

1. A coaxial switch comprising a housing having a chamber therein, terminal members carried by said housing disposed adjacent the periphery of said chamber and spaced apart arcuately thereof by a predetermined angle, a rotor mounted within said chamber for arcuate movement, and a contact member carried by said rotor and adapted for selective engagement with said terminal members of said housing by arcuate movement of the rotor in said chamber, said rotor having a body portion of substantial segmental shape providing a wall arcuately spaced from said rotor contact member by said predetermined angle and substantially spaced from the periphery of said chamber so as to be spaced from unused contacts of said switch housing at any given position of said rotor to isolate such unused contacts.

2. In an electrical switch of the coaxial type, a switch body having electrically insulated contacts arcuately spaced apart a given angular distance, a movable switch member within said body having a peripheral opening and having a passage communicating with said peripheral opening, a conductor disposed in said passage and carried by said switch member, a contact member connected with said conductor and located at said peripheral opening for selective engagement with said arcuately spaced contacts and being shiftable from one of said arcuately spaced contacts to another by movement of the switch member, and said switch member having a body portion of segmental shape providing an exterior surface portion arcuately spaced from said contact member by said given angular distance and substantially spaced from said switch body contacts in all switching positions of said switch member so as to be spaced from unused contacts of said switch body at any given position of said switch member to insulate such unused contacts.

3. In an electric switch of the coaxial type, a switch body having electrically insulated contacts arcuately spaced apart a given angular distance, a movable switch member within said body having a peripheral opening and having a passage communicating with said peripheral opening, a conductor disposed in said passage and carried by said switch member, a contact member connected with said conductor and located at said peripheral opening for selective engagement with said arcuately spaced contacts and being shiftable from one of said arcuately spaced contacts to another by movement of the switch member, and said switch member having a body portion of segmental shape with a peripheral portion disposed in close relation to said switch body, and said peripheral portion having a peripheral extent less than the arcuate spacing of adjacent unused contacts at any given position of said switch member, and the remaining exterior peripheral surface of said switch member body portion being substantially spaced from unused contacts in each switching position of said switching member.

4. In an electric switch of the coaxial type, a switch body having a plurality of terminals extending from a central generally cylindrical chamber and having electrically insulated contacts associated with respective terminals disposed adjacent the periphery of said chamber and spaced apart arcuately thereof, a generally cylindrical switch rotor having a peripheral opening and an axial opening and having a passage extending generally axially and radially therebetween, a conductor disposed in said passage and carried by said switch rotor, a contact member connected with said conductor and located at said peripheral opening for selective engagement with any one of said arcuately spaced contacts and being shiftaole from one of said arcuately spaced contacts to another by movement of the rotor, electrically insulating material mounting said conductor in said passage coaxially thereof, and said rotor having a body portion of segmental configuration extending in the general radial direction of said passage and having a peripheral extent less than the peripheral spacing between adjacent inactive contacts of said switch housing, and said body portion being substantially spaced from unused terminal contacts in all switching positions of said rotor.

5. In an electric switch of the coaxial type, a switch body having a plurality of terminals extending from a central generally cylindrical chamber and having electrically insulated contacts associated with respective terminals disposed adjacent the periphery of said chamber and spaced apart arcuately thereof, a generally cylindrical switch rotor having a peripheral opening and an axial opening and having a passage extending generally axially and radially therebetween, a conductor disposed in said passage and carried by said switch member, a contact member connected with said conductor and located at said peripheral opening for selective engagement with any one of said arcuately spaced contacts and being shiftable from one of said arcuately spaced contacts to another by movement of the rotor, electrically insulating material mounting said conductor in said passage coaxially thereof, and said rotor having a body portion of segmental configuration extending in the general radial direction or" said passage and having a peripheral extent less than the arcuate spacing between adjacent contacts of said switch housing, said rotor including a pair of axially spaced protruding shoulders of diameter corresponding to the diameter of said chamber, and said body portion being substantially spaced from unused terminal contacts in all switching positions of said rotor.

6. A rotor for a rotary coaxial switch comprising a plug having a body portion of segmental configuration extending radially from the central axis of said plug to the outer periphery thereof in one direction only from said central axis.

' 7. A rotor for a rotary coaxial switch comprising a plug having a body portion of segmental configuration ext-ending radially from the central axis of said plug to the outer periphery thereof in one direction only from said central axis, said rotor body portion having a peripheral r'lange at each end thereof symmetrical with respect to said central axis.

8. A rotor for a rotary coaxial switch comprising a plug having an opening peripherally thereof and an opening axially thereof, and having a passage extending between said openings, a conductor extending within said passage, electrical insulating material mounting said conductor coaxially of said passage, said plug having a body portion defining said passage and extending radially from the central axis of said plug to a radially outer periphery portion thereof adjacent said peripheral opening and said periphery portion having a peripheral extent generally corresponding to the extent of said peripheral opening, and the entire remaining portion of said body portion being spaced substantially closer to the central axis than said periphery portion.

9. A rotor for a rotary coaxial switch comprising a plug having an opening peripherally thereof and an opening axially thereof, and having a passage extending between said openings, a conductor extending within said passage, electrical insulating material mounting said conductor coaxially of said passage, said plug having a body portion defining said passage and extending radially from the central axis of said plug to the outer periphery thereof adjacent said peripheral opening only and said body portion having a peripheral extent generally corresponding to the extent of said peripheral opening, and said plug having spaced peripheral flanges extending concentrically with the central axis of said plug.

10. In a switch, a movable switch member having a peripheral opening and having a passage communicating With said peripheral opening, a conductor disposed in said passage and carried by said switch member, a contact member connected with said conductor and located at said peripheral opening, and said switch member having a bodyportion of segmental shape providing a single lobe extending radially from the central axis thereof.

11. A coaxial switch comprising a housing having a chamber therein whose side wall is a surface of revolution, contacts carried by said housing disposed adjacent the periphery of said chamber and spaced apart arcuately thereof, a rotor arcuately movable in said chamber about the axis of said chamber, and a contact member carried by said rotor and adapted for selective engagement with the contacts of said housing by arcuate move- .ment of the rotor in said chamber, said rotor having gaps therein disposed in front of and isolating those housing contacts which are not engaged by the contact member of the rotor at any position of the latter in which said contact member is engaged with a housing contact, and said rotor having a flange of contour to engage said chamber side wall for guiding the arcuate movement of said rotor in said chamber.

12. A coaxial switch comprising a housing having a chamber therein, terminal members carried by said housing disposed adjacent the periphery of said chamber and spaced apart arcuately thereof, a rotor mounted 6 within said chamber for arcuate movement, and a contact member carried by said rotor and adapted for selective engagement with said terminal members of said housing by arcuate movement of the rotor in said chamher, said rotor having a body portion of substantially segmental shape spaced from unused contacts of said switch housing at any switching position of said rotor to isolate such unused contacts, and said rotor having a flange of configuration for telescoping Within said chamber to guide the arcuate movement of the rotor.

13. A rotor for a rotary coaxial switch comprising a plug having a body portion of segmental confi uration extending radially from the central axis of said plug to the outer periphery thereof, said body portion being nonsymmetrical with respect to said central axis, and said plug having a flange symmetrically disposed about said central axis for guiding rotation of said plug about said central axis.

14. A rotor for a rotary coaxial switch plug having a body portion of segmental configuration extending radially from the central axis of said plug to the outer periphery thereof, said body being non-symmetrical with respect to said central axis, and said plug having a flange portion extending arcuately about the central axis of the plug and connected to the radially extending body portion.

15. In a switch, a movable switch member having a peripheral opening and having a passage communicating with said peripheral opening, a conductor disposed in said passage and carried by said switch member, a contact member connected with said conductor and located at said peripheral opening, said switch member having a body portion of segmental shape including a generally semi-cylindrical short radius wall portion at one side and a segmental cylindrical wall portion diametrically opposite said short radius Wall portion and formed on a radius substantially greater than the radius of said short radius wall portion, and a flange of circular contour spaced axially from said contact member for guiding movement of said switch member.

comprising a References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

